Hungarian Chicken Broth (Újházi Tyúkhúsleves)
Újházi tyúkhúsleves Say it: OOY-hah-zee TYOOOK-hoosh-leh-vesh
Nothing says Sunday in Hungary like a pot of húsleves, the clear golden chicken broth that opens family lunches. The Újházi version is the festive one: a stewing hen simmered slowly with carrots, parsnip, parsley root and celeriac, then sweet peas and button mushrooms added near the end. It tastes clean and deeply savoury, with a gentle sweetness from the roots. The broth is ladled over fine vermicelli with the meat and vegetables, and every bowl is finished with fresh parsley.
Hungarian Chicken Broth (Újházi Tyúkhúsleves)
Újházi tyúkhúsleves
Pronounced OOY-hah-zee TYOOOK-hoosh-leh-vesh
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 2 hr
- Total
- 2 hr 20 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, celery. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the broth
Vegetables
To serve
Method
Rinse the hen inside and out and put it in a tall pot with the cold water. Set it over medium heat and bring it slowly to a bare simmer, about 25 minutes, skimming off the grey foam with a spoon as it rises to the surface.
While the pot heats, sear the onion halves cut-side down in a dry frying pan until deep brown, 5-6 minutes; this is what gives the broth its gold colour. Add them to the pot with the peppercorns, bay leaf, garlic and salt.
Add the carrots, parsnip, parsley root and celeriac, keeping everything whole so the broth stays clear. Lower the heat so the surface barely trembles, cover partly and cook for 60 minutes.
Add the tomato and green pepper halves and simmer for 20 minutes more; the tomato softens into the broth and the pepper perfumes it.
Stir in the mushrooms and peas and cook for a final 15 minutes, until the peas are tender and the mushrooms are soft but still hold their shape.
Lift the chicken out with tongs and let it cool until you can handle it. Pull the meat from the bones in bite-size pieces, discarding skin and bones, and cut the cooked root vegetables into chunks; discard the onion, tomato and pepper skins.
Strain the broth through a fine sieve lined with a damp cheesecloth, then skim the fat with a spoon, leaving a few shiny droplets for flavour. Taste and add more salt if needed.
Boil the vermicelli in a separate pan of salted water until just tender, 3-4 minutes, then drain and rinse briefly so they do not stick together.
Put a nest of noodles in each warm bowl, add chicken and vegetables, and ladle the hot broth over. Scatter with chopped parsley and serve at once.
Regional variant: Plain Sunday broth with semolina dumplings (Húsleves grízgaluskával)
Leave out the peas and mushrooms and add 1 peeled potato with the roots for the last 25 minutes. For the dumplings, mix 1 egg with 4 tbsp (40 g) semolina and a pinch of salt and rest for 20 minutes, then drop small spoonfuls into lightly simmering salted water for 3-4 minutes until they float. Add them to the bowls instead of, or alongside, the vermicelli.
Cook's notes
- Never let the broth boil: a bare tremble and frequent skimming in the first half hour are what keep it crystal clear.
- Start with cold water and heat it slowly — the flavour is drawn out gradually instead of the meat tightening at once.
- If you chill the pot overnight, the fat sets on top and lifts off in one piece, which is the easiest way to degrease it.
Serve with
Fresh white bread or a slice of rye, pickled green peppers (almapaprika) or a little horseradish, and a glass of dry white wine.
Make ahead and storage
The strained broth keeps 3 days covered in the fridge and freezes well for 2 months; cook the noodles fresh and reheat the broth gently without letting it boil.
